1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to devices for immobilizing the human head, neck and torso and relates more particularly to such devices for use in emergency situations to immobilize the body to prevent further injury to the injured or potentially injured cervical spine. The device is especially useful for rescue at sea, or in other wet and/or snowy locations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous devices have been proposed in the past to perform the function of immobilizing or stabilizing the human head and neck for emergency purposes. Such devices are extremely important, particularly in emergency situations, in the handling of possible fractures of the cervical spine. In the cases of industrial injuries, automobile accidents and battlefield injuries, it is usually necessary to remove the patient from the injury scene, often under conditions of stress or time pressure, for transportation to medical facilities. This removal is almost always accomplished by personnel who are not medical doctors, although they may have had varying amounts of education and training in the handling of injured patients.
In the handling and moving, there is a high risk of aggravation of injuries to the cervical spine if the patient's head and neck are not properly immobilized or stabilized.
Many prior art U.S. Patents disclose devices comprising a rigid board member having straps attached thereto for attachment to a patient to immobilize the head and neck. These devices provide a rigid structure for completely preventing lateral motion and rotation of the patient's head but are expensive, bulky and complicated to use. Because of their cost, emergency personnel can usually afford to have only one device with them. This not only makes proper immobilization impossible of other injured patients in the same accident but also prevents the emergency personnel from returning to duty until their board is returned. Further, the board may not be removed until x-rays have ruled out neck or back injuries. The wood or metal devices presently used allow only very poor quality films when x-rays are shot through them.
Some of these problems were addressed in my first patent application, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,999. Others of these problems such as the need for an improved cervical immobilization board for use in wet conditions were not recognized at that time.
There is a need, therefore, for an optionally disposable, inexpensive readily stackable, more radiolucent C-spine immobilizer that can be employed easily by non-physician personnel.
It is an object to provide a cervical spine immobilizer that is easily and quickly applied to injured persons, and allows them to be carried while wearing the device.
Still another object is to provide a spine board that can be stored in large quantities in very little space, such as on shipboard.
Yet another object is to provide a light weight spine board that is suitable for wet disaster situations.
These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the product possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.